COMPUTER GENERATION
The word ‘computer’ has a very interesting origin. It was first used in the 16th
century for a person who used to compute, i.e. do calculations. The word was
used in the same sense as a noun until the 20th century. Women were hired as human
computers to carry out all forms of calculations and computations. By the last
part of the 19th century, the word was also used to describe machines that did
calculations. The modern day use of the word is generally to describe
programmable digital devices that run on electricity.
Computer
generation; is the development of computer from low
technology to high technology in a time abacus was invented till modern times.
Early History of Computer
Since the evolution of humans,
devices have been used for calculations for thousands of years. One of the
earliest and well-known devices was an abacus. Then in 1822, the father of
computers, Charles Babbage began developing what would be the first
mechanical computer. And then it 1833 he actually designed an Analytical Engine
which was a general purpose computer. It contained an ALU, some basic flow
chart principles and the concept of integrated memory.
Then more than a century later in
the history of computers, we got our first electronic computer for general purpose.
It was the ENIAC, which stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and
Computer. The inventors of this computer were John W. Mauchly
and J.Presper Eckert.
And with times the technology
developed and the computers got smaller and the processing got faster. We got
our first laptop in 1981 and it was introduced by Adam Osborne and EPSON.
In history of computer has a five generation; which changed in a difference times. In the history of computers, we often refer to the advancements of modern computers as the generation of computers. We are currently on the fifth generation of computers. Today the evolution of modern computers has changed the course of human history itself and the following are the five generation of computers
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FIRST GENERATION (1940-1956) VACUUM TUBES
1st Generation; This was from the period of 1940 to 1955. This was when machine language was developed for the use of computers. They used vacuum tubes for the circuitry. For the purpose of memory, they used magnetic drums.
These early computers used vacuum tubes as circuitry and magnetic
drums for memory. As a result they were enormous, literally taking up entire
rooms and costing a fortune to run. These were inefficient materials which
generated a lot of heat, sucked huge electricity and subsequently generated a
lot of heat which caused ongoing breakdowns.
These first generation computers relied on ‘machine
language’ (which is the most basic programming language that can be understood
by computers). These computers were limited to solving one problem at a time.
Input was based on punched cards and paper tape. Output came out on print-outs.
The two notable machines of this era were the UNIVAC and ENIAC machines – the
UNIVAC is the first every commercial computer which was purchased in 1951 by a
business – the US Census Bureau.
Ø Used
vacuum tubes for circuitry in this generation was used vacuum tubes for circuitry
Ø They
were very expensive to operate in vacuum tubes was has a many operate which is
important but it is very expensive to operate .
Ø They
were relied on machine language vacuum tubes was used machine language to
relied.
Ø Input
was based on punched cards and paper tape when you want to input data should
punched card and paper tape to input.
Ø Output
was displayed on printouts vacuum tubes
was used printouts to displayed out put information.
Ø They
were very bigger in size vacuum tube was has a big shape so it take the large
place.
SECOND GENERATION
(1956-1963) TRANSISTORS
2nd Generation; Here they advanced from vacuum tubes to transistors. This made the computers smaller, faster and more energy efficient. And they advanced from binary to assembly languages. The replacement of vacuum tubes by transistors saw the advent of the second generation of computing. Although first invented in 1947, transistors weren’t used significantly in computers until the end of the 1950s. They were a big improvement over the vacuum tube, despite still subjecting computers to damaging levels of heat. However they were hugely superior to the vacuum tubes, making computers smaller, faster, cheaper and less heavy on electricity use. They still relied on punched card for input/printouts.
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The language evolved from cryptic binary language to symbolic (‘assembly’)
languages. This meant programmers could create instructions in words. About the
same time high level programming languages were being developed (early versions
of COBOL and FORTRAN). Transistor-driven machines were the first computers to
store instructions into their memories – moving from magnetic drum to magnetic
core ‘technology’. The early versions of these machines were developed for the
atomic energy industry.
Ø Used
transistors instead of vacuum tubes
Ø These
were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory
which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.
Ø Computers
become smaller; transistors computer is smaller than vacuum tubes computer so
it is easy to move from on place to another.
Ø Computer
become faster; transistors computers enables person to do the works in a short
time because it was faster than vacuum tubes.
Ø Computer
become cheaper to operate; in this generation expensive to operate .
THIRD GENERATION
(1964-1971) INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
3rd
Generation: The hallmark of this period (1964-1971) was the development of the
integrated circuit.
By this phase, transistors were now being miniaturised and put on silicon chips (called semiconductors). This led to a massive increase in speed and efficiency of these machines. These were the first computers where users interacted using keyboards and monitors which interfaced with an operating system, a significant leap up from the punch cards and printouts. This enabled these machines to run several applications at once using a central program which functioned to monitor memory
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As a result of these advances which again made machines cheaper and
smaller, a new mass market of users emerged during the ‘60s.
Ø They
used integrated circuit instead of transistors; this generation used integrated
circuit instead of transistors.
Ø Instead
of punched cards they used keyboards for inputs: integrated circuit they used
keyboard for inputs and not paper tape.
Ø And
monitor for printouts; in this generation of computers used monitors fro
printouts
Ø Increased
the speed and efficiency of computer integrated circuits computer they
increased speed and efficiency in order to simplify things.
Ø Computers
for the first time became accessible to a mass / audience because they were
smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.
FOURTH GENERATION
(1971-PRESENT)MICRO PROCESSORS
4th Generation;
The invention of the microprocessors brought along the fourth generation of
computers. This was when we started producing computers for home use. Another
important aspect is the development of higher computer languages like C++ and
Java.
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The increased power of these small computers meant they could be linked, creating networks. Which ultimately led to the development, birth and rapid evolution of the Internet. Other major advances during this period have been the Graphical user interface (GUI), the mouse and more recently the astounding advances in lap-top capability and hand-held devices.
Ø The
microprocessors replaced integrated circuit this is the generation which
removed or replaced integrated circuit and take the position.
Ø Fourth
generation computers also saw the development of graphical user interfaces
(GUIS) .GUIS lets you use your mouse to click on icons buttons and menus and
everything is clearly displayed on the screen using a combination of graphics
and text.
Ø Computer
become more powerful ,they could be
linked together to form networks which eventually led to the development of the
internet.
Ø Development
in 1971 located all the components of the computer from central processing unit
and memory to input /output controls on a single chip.
FIFTH GENERATION (PRESENT AND THE FUTURE) ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
5th Generation;
This is the present and the future of the computer world. The defining aspect
of this generation is artificial intelligence. The use of parallel processing
and superconductors are making this a reality and provide a lot of scope for
the future. Computer devices with artificial intelligence are still in
development, but some of these technologies are beginning to emerge and be used
such as voice recognition.
AI is a reality made possible by using parallel processing and superconductors. Leaning to the future, computers will be radically transformed again by quantum computation, molecular and nano technology.
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The essence of fifth generation will be
using these technologies to ultimately create machines which can process and
respond to natural language, and have capability to learn and organise
themselves.
Ø Fifth
generation computing devices based on artificial intelligence .This generation
computers to us the intelligence devices to do computer works.
Ø The
use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial
intelligence a reality.
Ø Quantum
computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of
computers in years to come.
Conclusively;
Computer generation has gone through different stages evolution due to the
development of science and technology that is facing the world and people.
Computer in coming days will replace most of human power and people will start
working out of their work station and it might be used like remote to operate
most of human functions in production and other activities that are now
controlling by people in the office by using the current computer generation.
Although in present there is also application of digital computer that is operating
its services/function without keyboard or mouse but buy using hand touch as the
same as smart phones.
REFERENCES:
https://www.toppr.com/guides/computer-aptitude-and-knowledge/basics-of-computers/history-of-computers/
https://btob.co.nz/business-news/five-generations-computers/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_generation_computer
https://www.legit.ng/1116732-history-computer-generations.html.
